IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 24, Issue 8, Ser. 10 (August. 2019) 32-36 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org Performance of Minor Port in Kanyakumari - A Case Study Dr. S. Subramanian1, A. Kandhavel2 1Professor, Department of Commerce, Ananamalai University, Annamalai Nagar. Tamil Nadu, India, 608002 2Research Scholar, Department of Commerce, Annamalai University,Tamil Nadu, India, 608002 Annamalai Nagar. Corresponding Author: Dr. S. Subramanian Abstract: The paper highlighted the Kanyakumari Minor Port performance and its efficiency. Indian ports are divided into two categories viz., Major ports and Minor ports. The ports are marked by its draft level, cargo handling facilities for export and import operations, coastal services. There are 12 major ports and 212 minor ports are in India. India has 7517 km coastal line which accommodates nine states and four union territories. The authors studied Tamil Nadu maritime board besides Kanyakumari minor port. The authors collected primary data from 100 respondents from Kanya kumari port. The collect data were analysed by using Chi- Square, ANOVA along with simple percentage. The hypotheses are tested, of which few proved and few disproved. The overall performances are is good and appreciable. Key words: minor port - major port - draft level - export/ import – awareness - seasons -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 16-08-2019 Date of Acceptance: 31-08-2019 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. INTRODUCTION Indian coastal line 7517Kms, it has 12 major ports and 212 minor ports in 9 Maritime States and 4 Union Territories. The major ports are controlled by Central Government by Indian Port Act 1908. The minor ports are controlled by State Government. It has more than 85 percentage international trade operation by coastal line1. Major ports in India According to section 3 (8) of Indian port Act 1908, any port may come under the control of the Central Government or any official gazette notification declaration or any law of the province in force, have declared to be a major port. The ministry of shipping is the administrator of all the Major Ports under the Port Act 1908 and Major Port Trust Act of 1963.2 The central government of India nominated the board members as trustees to regulate the operation of major ports. Minor Ports in India There are 212 minor ports situated along the peninsula coast line and sea island. These ports are located in Gujarat (46), Maharashtra (48), Goa (5), Daman & Diu (2), Karnataka (9), Kerala (17), Tamil Nadu (23), Pondicherry (3), Andhra Pradesh (12), Orissa (13), West Bengal (1), and Andaman & Nicobar Island (23). Out of these minor ports, only some ports are well developed and provide all weather berthing facilities for cargo handling. In 2016 – 2017 only for 70 minor ports were reported to have handled cargo traffic. The effectiveness of minor ports in meeting the growing volume of cargo traffic in the backdrop of saturation of existing capacities at the major ports cannot be overlooked. Recognizing the importance of minor ports, maritime states have launched initiatives for their development, through the participation of private sector. This has led to significant growth in the cargo traffic handled by the minor ports in the past few years.3 Tamil Nadu Maritime Board Tamil Nadu has the second longest coastline (1076 KMs) with 3 major ports and 23 minor ports. The minor ports in Tamil Nadu were administered and controlled by the Tamil Nadu Port Department. Keeping in 1 MCCI, T he Madras Chamber of Commerce Report, State Planning Commission, 2015, p, 6. 2. Basic port statistics of India, Ministry of Road Transport and Highway in Government of India, 2014 – 2015, p, 13. 3 “Et all”, p, 27. DOI: 10.9790/0837-2408103236 www.iosrjournals.org 32 |Page Performance of Minor Port in Kanyakumari - A Case Study line with the maritime history and in realizing the need for growth in the maritime sector, the erstwhile Tamil Nadu Port Department was converted into Tamil Nadu Maritime Board under the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board Act, 1995 (Tamil Nadu Act 4/96) with effect from 18.03.1997. The Minister for Highways and Minor Ports, Government of Tamil Nadu is the ex-officio Chairman of the Board.4 Kanyakumari Minor Port: Kanyakumari is the southern end of India and meeting place of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The sunrise over the Bay Bengal respectively and the Indian Ocean spreads in the front on full moon evening sun rest and moonrise can be seen at the save more meant the district has a coastal line of 65.8 KM.5. This port situated in Kanyakumari district, solely meant for facilitating ferry service between shore visit Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Ayyan Thiruvalluvar Statue. MS Poompuhar Shipping Corporation Ltd., is operating this ferry services. Kanyakumari port is situated at the southernmost tip of the Indian peninsular in latitude 80 4’ 6” North and longitude 77 32’ 2” East in Kanyakumari district. The southernmost end of Tamil Nadu and the lands of India is one of the most popular Tourist spot of the country. The town is at its best during Chaitra Poornima (Full moon day) when the sun moon are face to face at the same horizon. Other full moon days are also special when you can see the sun set and the Mon rise almost simultaneously. Vivekananda Rock: Vivekananda Rock is about a hundred meters from the shore and a regular ferry service exits between the mainland jetty and the rock. The Rock has two man daps (halls): one belonging to a Holy Foot. The holy foot is a foot shaped carving found on the rock and is believed to be the foot priest of Goddess kumara who stood on this rock on one leg and preformed the Tapagya (penance). The Rock memorial has a tall statue of swami Vivekananda whose photographs are not allowed to be taken from inside the hall. Below the statue was mentioned the year of death of the swami and the probable dates when swami attained Samadhi on the rock. Here, passenger can see both sun rise and sun set and it is one of the main tourist attractions here. Golden Hoses of the Horizon are very impressive with a silhouetee the of the rock memorial, Timing 7:30 am to 4 pm. Passenger should enter main gate to the jetty for ferry before 4 pm after that entry is denied. Nobody is allowed their after sun set. So if passenger were planning evening visit hurry up and leave well before sun set so as to watch it sun set. The ferry tickets are Rs. 50 for a ride per head. Children below 5 years are free, there is no half ticket. The Rock memorial has an entrance ticket of Rs.20 per head.6 The first stop of the ferry is the Vivekananda Rock people get off here for the rock and those done with their visit get on to the ferry for its next stop at Thiruvalluvar statue and the ferry returns to the boarding jetty. The operator asks that passenger don a life serving jacket and drop it is the bin at the next stop while getting off. This is only done in letter and not is the spirit of safety. Thiruvalluvar Statue Thiruvalluvar statue is dedicated to equably the greatest Tamil poet, philosopher and saint Thiruvalluvar. The rock supports a huge statue of the saint carved out of many rocks that were there joint together. It was inaugurated recently. The statue is about 133 feet long which corresponds to 133 chapters in the greatest spic written by the saint – Thirukkural tourists can climb up to the feet of the statue. The view from this point is quite breath taking. It is a very entertaining and enlightening piece of work and inspires one to lead a very principled and more life. It is a must read for anyone who visits this place and it is advisable to spend at least half an hour specially dedicated for this exercise. Dr APJ Abdual Kalam, the former president of India, picked 12 verses of the poet and he translated them with the desire that visitors pick one of them as a guiding principle of their life. It is to be highlighted that nowhere in the history of world architecture, such a standing human form, fully made of granite has ever been attempted and that too in the midst of the sea waves. The statue is an embodiment of the essence of Tamil classic “Thirukkural” a collection of pithy verses authored by saint Thiruvalluvar, which marks the quintessence of the Tamil spirit. The statue is fully made up of granite stones, weighing 700 tonnes, comprising 3681 pieces of granite boulders, each weighing 3-8 tonnes. The statue proper, stands 95 feet tall on a pedestal of 38 feet is high and the whole structure has been designed based on the spirit of the poets’ great work “Thirukkural”. 4 Manual, Tamil Nadu Maritime Board, 2017 p, 1 5 Kanyakumari Tourist guide book, Tamil Nadu Tourist Corporation, 2002 – 2003, p.11. 6 Kanyakumari Tourist Guide Book, 2017, Tamil Nadu Tourist corporation, page 2 - 3 DOI: 10.9790/0837-2408103236 www.iosrjournals.org 33 |Page Performance of Minor Port in Kanyakumari - A Case Study In the design of the statue, the 38 feet high pedestal depicts the first 38 feet chapters which deal with the virtue and the state proper of 95 feet depicts the rest of the 95 chap hers, which deal with wealth and love.7 Statement of problem: Tourism creates any job opportunities. Tourism is a labour – intensive industry- that is, it requires a large number of workers.